Michelle Thomas is a graduate of Monash University and undertook her surgical training in South Australia, Darwin and Bath, UK, becoming a fellow of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons in 2002. Michelle completed her specialist colorectal training in Adelaide and Melbourne and is a member of the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australasia and New Zealand. During this time she also completed a PhD at the University of Adelaide. She was awarded the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland Traveling Fellowship 2004 and won the Mark Killingback Prize in 2005.

Since 2007 Michelle has been working as a staff specialist colorectal surgeon at the Royal Adelaide Hospital where she is the Head of Unit. She started private work in 2012. While managing all colorectal disorders, she has a special interest in pelvic floor disorders and laparoscopic surgery, and is now accredited in robotic surgery. She has an ongoing research commitment, particularly in the molecular biology and genetics of colorectal cancer and is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Adelaide.

Michelle consults at Colorectal SA on South Terrace, Adelaide, and in Stirling Hospital. Operations are performed at St Andrew’s Hospital and she performs colonoscopies at both St Andrew’s and Stirling Hospital.